Just Cause I'm Off Duty Doesn't Mean I don't Care
by ElaineiAMaddison
Summary: What happens when Calleigh's college life comes back to stir up her present? With this new distraction and Calleigh and Eric's tumbling relationship, plus her own secret, will Calleigh be able to hold it all together? **Check it out- it's the revision of 'Just Because I'm Off Duty...' Hopefully will be better written, a better plot, and make more sense :) love y'all. enjoy
1. Chapter 1

**A/N- Hey ya'll! So, so sorry that I've been off the grid for the last three years. High school. :) Well, I thought about re- editing the chapters one by one in 'Just Because I'm Off Duty...' but I had a better idea- I'm just going to start new. I'll try to keep all the major events in, and I'm hoping that this version will be a thousand times better! Well, here goes nothing.**

** Just Because I'm Off Duty**

**Chapter One: Crabby Calleigh On a Goose Chase**

_Two doubles, no leads, and five-plus hours of cataloging evidence and filing reports. The worn out blond had only gotten a mere four hours of sleep last night, while the rest had been spent contemplating her and Eric's little spat that had occurred over a, besides their shouting, lovely dinner at Calleigh's favorite pub._

"_Well, gee, I don't know Cal! What!? Do you honestly want me to say that I'm sorry about helping him? He's my FATHER!"_

"_That's not what I said and you know it. Don't go putting words in my mouth, Delko!" _Was she really _that_ mad at him? Maybe, but then, everyone starring at her and Eric sure didn't help her fueling rage.

"_I'm leaving. Sorry, but…God Cal! I just can't deal with this now." _Don't say it Duquesne. Come on girl, keep it together.

"_Can't deal with…me, Eric? Is that what you were going to say? That you can't deal with me right now?!" _Shit, Duquesne, there goes 'keeping it in'… and keeping it quiet. _Sigh_

"_Calleigh…"_

"_No, Eric. I need to figure this out, by myself." _Way to go, Cal. Just push away the only guy you've ever loved. Congratulations, you've just succeeded in making sure you're going to die alone…

_He hesitated then grabbed his jacket and left. He walked out and she followed. Of course, they didn't end up spending the night together like they usually did after dinner. No sir, he went back to his apartment, and she to her condo- no doubt to hit a few and clean out his side of the amour, and his cabinet in the bathroom, and his side of the bed, and-_

"Miss Duquesne. …Miss Duquesne?" _Good god, when did he get here?_

"Oh, hi Horatio, what can I do for you?" _Don't forget to smile Calleigh. Big smile, big smile. _

"There's a…there's a young lady here to see you. She wouldn't give me her name; just told me that she was here for you." _A young lady? A young lad—oh god!_

"Alright thank you, Lieutenant. I'll be down in a minute." _Oh I'm going to need a hell lot more than a minute…_

"That's quite all right Calleigh, I see that you pulled a double and a 50- plus shooting today. You may go home after you're through with your anonymous visitor if you wish; if not then I'll see you at Marty's Pub. We'll be at our usual table."

"Hey Paula, Lieutenant Caine told me there was someone here to see me?" _Clink Clank Clink Clank, Paula's ball-point pen clanked against the counter rhythmically; like it was in step with the old quartz clock stationed on her desk._

"Paula?" _Good lord, I don't have time for this; I've got to go write up my reports and catalog Ryan's stupid evidence because he can't do it himself, and then I have to talk to Eric about last—Calleigh. Calleigh?_

"Huh? Oh sorry Paula, could you repeat that?" The receptionist sighed and repeated what she'd stated only seconds before. _Natalia, why's she with Nat? This little name-less visitor had better be important or I swear to the high heavens I will blow my top. _

"Thanks, Paula; CSI Boa Vista hasn't left has she?" Paula shook her head and pointed to the trace lab.

"Thanks again, Paula, I'll catch up with Natalia."

_Chit-chat later Duquesne, you're on a mission. Got it- mission. You talk to this girl, sort whatever it is out, then you can go home and soak in a long, hot bath._

"Hey Nat, Paula told me you kidnapped my visitor? She in the bathroom?"

"Hey Cal, yeah she looked a little scared so I brought her in here. But uhm, no, Alexx actually came up to give me her findings on our Jane Doe and she took the little girl to the break room to give her some juice. Horatio didn't tell you?" _UGH god!_

"Is this 'make Calleigh go on a human hunt' day?" _I'm usually pretty calm and refrained but I am just so tired and crabby; not to mention confused._

"Sorry Cal, just think- at least you have tomorrow off."

"Yeah, thanks Nat, sorry I blew up on you. I'll see ya later alright. Well if you need me, I'll be in the break room." _The break room; X marks the spot._

**a/n- Hey everyone, hope you like the revised version so far :) let me know if this chapter was too long or too short, thanks for everyone pushing me to continue/ revise my stories :) Comment, like, favorite, follow- whatever you do, just click something ;) Oh, and a special thanks goes to Nonna99! More to come hopefully **


	2. Chapter 2

Previously on 'Days of Our Lives'—just kidding. So I had my ACT today and thought I'd unwind and distress my inward crying author by updating the story :)

So I started writing this chapter in- don't kill me- April. Thanks go to Nonna99 for making sure my butt is up and going. Hopefully you'll get more than one chapter this week in the story and I am hoping to update my other stories as well. Thanks for reading, enjoy! :) Oh, by the way, I'm sorry that these two chapters have been mostly conversation text but I needed to set the story without giving so much away. I'm hoping my next chapters will be more substance and less conversation text. I know the format and the going back and forth gets old, but bear with me :)

"**Thanks again, Paula, I'll catch up with Natalia."**

_**Chit-chat later Duquesne, you're on a mission. Got it- mission. You talk to this girl, sort whatever it is out, then you can go home and soak in a long, hot bath.**_

"**Hey Nat, Paula told me you kidnapped my visitor? She in the bathroom?" **

"**Hey Cal, yeah she looked a little scared so I brought her in here. But uhm, no, Alexx actually came up to give me her findings on our Jane Doe and she took the little girl to the break room to give her some juice. Horatio didn't tell you?" **_**UGH god!**_

"**Is this 'make Calleigh go on a human hunt' day?" **_**I'm usually pretty calm and refrained but I am just so tired and crabby; not to mention confused.**_

"**Sorry Cal, just think- at least you have tomorrow off."**

"**Yeah, thanks Nat, sorry I blew up on you. I'll see ya later alright. Well if you need me, I'll be in the break room." **_**The break room; X marks the spot.**_

_Come on Duquesne, put 'one foot in front of the other. One foot in fron__— "_Oh Alexx, hi!"

The African American woman was not one easily fooled—especially by the high-pitched hello and deep blush that was caressing the ballistics expert cheeks.

"Hi sugar, you feeling okay?" _Alexx, I'm on a mission; I'm tired and ornery and just want to clock out and head home._

"Yeah, I'm fine. So, I hear you're keeping one of my visitors hostage. Mind telling me where I can find her?"

"Oh sure honey, she's on the couch watching TV. Wish I could tell you what's wrong though, baby girl seems upset and a few minutes from a good break down."

_**-BREAK ROOM-**_

"Hey Stepha— I'm sorry, I thought you were someone else." The blonde agreed, this girl did hold similarities to her step-sister Stephani. Unless Stephani took up major Botox and shrunk at least 3 feet, this **was not** her brother's widow.

_She hadn't talked to or seen Daniel- officially, Daniel-Jackson Louis Duquesne- since the wedding she'd been invited to seven years ago. It was pretty low-key because Daniel didn't want their drunkard mother to get wind of him marrying, as she put it, 'some floozy from northern Nevada.' Charlene Duquesne had told Daniel from the start that she disapproved of their engagement; and made it known to Stephani every time they happened to talk._

_Personally, Calleigh had been elated to find out she'd have a sister-in-law to talk to and tell all of Daniel's embarrassing childhood stories to. She loved Daniel, she really did; she just enjoyed bringing some fault to her older brother once in a while. _

_The first time Calleigh and Stephani talked was over the phone on Daniel's birthday. They would have met in person but Calleigh had gotten tied up at work with a political murder trial and was told she couldn't leave the state until the jury came to a decision. When they talked, Calleigh understood why Daniel had feelings for this girl. Stephani was a sweetheart, but she had that certain knack that could whip Daniel into his place if he ever got out of line—Calleigh liked that about her. Daniel could be quite full of himself sometimes and Calleigh thinks it was Stephani's ability to put him in his place that made their relationship work. _

"Hi, would it be okay if you told me your name? Dr. Woods, the lady with the long black hair, she said you asked the front desk to see me. Did you come with someone else or is it just you?"

"I'm Emmalee- call me Lee or Emma- Mom told me that you were supposed to be our guardian if anything ever happened

-Why haven't you come to get us? We've been in the care center for two weeks." _Care center, guardian? US?_

"Look I'm sorry Emma, or Lee- whatever- but I don't know what" _Calculus was easier than this- way easier. No, no, Duquesne; get a grip! She's only like 13, there's got to be another Calleigh or another Duquesne-maybe._

_Care center, where's the adult—_"Child Services have no idea you're here, do they?" _Of course not. ****. Horatio is going to love this; he did say I could go home right away. Technically Child Services isn't home but I can't leave her in the lobby at CSI._

"Alright here's what we're going to do: you and I are going to child services to get this sorted out." _There is __no way__ I am supposed to be your guardian. Have people seen me with kids?_

"Obviously not." The blonde was muttering to herself as she clicked her seatbelt after making sure 'the runaway visitor' was buckled and situated in the car.

"You know it wasn't very smart to leave child services like that- they're probably going to think I kidnapped you." _Oh, hadn't even thought about that! I can see the headlines now- 'MIAMI DADE OFFICER KIDNAPS CHILD.' _

She thought she heard the girl mumble something about a new life or better life, she couldn't tell exactly- Emma had her head in her hands and was looking out the passenger window.

"Turn here." Calleigh had familiarized herself with Child Services; seeing as she had been to the building four or five times for the North case. She had also been there more than a few times to visit Austin and Patty before they were adopted by a couple that lived closer towards Coral Way than the heart of Miami- Dade.

"Ok, let's get this settled out. Are you ready Emma?" _Buck up, Calleigh girl. Put on the bravado and leave the gunslinger attitude in the car._

"Yeah, I don't have a choice though." _She's smart, Calleigh, gotta give her that._

**-CHILD SERVICES OFFICE ROOM-**

"Have a seat, Miss Duquesne. Can I get you a water or something to drink?" She had been immediately directed to Mr. Granger's office and told to be seated by his bubbly receptionist Lydia.

"No thank you." She forced out with a smile; her throat was closing up and it was becoming hard to breathe but Calleigh knew that water, or her inhaler, weren't likely to solve that. This tightness- was from fear.

She asked the receptionist is she knew how much longer it would be until Mr. Granger was in the room. Sighing, the receptionist-Lydia- said he should only be a few more minutes because he was finishing up with an adoption evaluation interview.

Calleigh began to drum her red, manicured nails on her lap and stopped only when Mr. Granger stepped in front of her and offered his hand.

"Hi, Ms. Duquesne, nice to meet you. Emmalee, nice to see you again." He extended his hand after seating himself behind the wooden desk in his office and flattening out his suit jacket and tie ensemble.

"So you're here to talk to me about the provisions your sister-in-law Stephani stated in her will." _Will? No, Steph _can't _be dead! WHY THE hell wasn't I informed?_

"Why the hell wasn't I informed of this- of any of this? What happened? When did it happen?" Breathe, Calleigh, deep breath. Breathe, come on, and blow out.

"You must have the wrong person, my sister-in-law didn't have kids. And if she did they certainly wouldn't be as old as 12 or 13. I'm sorry but you have the wrong person!"

"Miss Duquesne—˝

(A/N) So I'm proud of myself- this chapter was 1,071 words of content (excluding the bolded 'what happened previously' section and my author's notes at top of the chapter and this one now). I hope you enjoyed chapter two! :) Next chapter, hopefully you guys will be able to figure out who this girl is, who she's talking about when she says 'us', and what Calleigh is in for.

-Ali


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